The weekly church bulletin makes an initial impression on each person who attends the worship service. It can even set the tone; especially with visitors. How you present yourself by way of those few sheets of paper can mean all the difference in reaching a soul. Make no mistake about this!

Listed below are 5 simple tips to better bulletins. The list could be longer and be sure… I am no expert in this area. However, I mention these things as they have been learned through experience.

Tip #1 – Every Church Bulletin Should Be Informative

This is one of the most effective communication devises for any church staff! Inform the membership and guests of what is going on. Invite people to look at it when going over the announcements. Typically, these bulletins or programs will lay around a week or so in people’s homes. So be sure to inform people with good info!

Below are some good ingredients for informative content:

1. Weekly Pastoral Greeting
2. Order Of Service – At least the songs and pages numbers
3. Upcoming Events This Week
4. Future Events – Rest of month
5. MAJOR Prayer Requests
6. “Opportunities To Serve” is always helpful
7. Attendance from previous week and offerings
8. Hospital List
9. Shut-in of the week/month
10. Missionary of the week/month
11. Serviceman of the week/month
12. Place for sermon notes
13. Quotes, and theme verses
14. Clearly seen contact info – For Church, Pastor, Staff, including phone numbers and email addresses
15. Website Info

There is much more you could add, but this gives you an idea. It is great to get bulletins from several different congregations to see what people are doing. I get these from funerals, and solicit from friends and family. (KEEP THESE EXAMPLES IN A FILE)

Tip #2 – Every Church Bulletin Should Be Grammatically Correct And Be Proofed For Spelling Errors

This is one of my pet issues. Nobody is perfect and I am not the best with grammar, but there is no reason why bulletins cannot be filled with content that is easy to understand and SPELLED CORRECTLY! Remember, you are MAKING a VALUABLE IMPRESSION upon all who read your bulletins. Yes, there will be mistakes made, but they should be kept to a bare minimum.


Tip #3 – Every Church Bulletin Should Be Simple In Design

The internet is full of websites where one can get fabulous pictures, pre-made blanks, clipart and much more. No matter what you decide on using remember the K.I.S.S. principle… “Keep It Simple Stupid”. I could provide some links, but I feel it is unnecessary. It would be just as easy for one to do a quick Google Search for church bulletin(s).

Many of the ladies of the church have software programs in their personal computers which can be utilized to produce a bulletin. The “guts” part of your bulletin can be designed in Microsoft Word and printed upon pre-made blanks. Or you can design the whole thing in any card/label designing software program. (Hallmark being just one example)

Whether capitalizing upon pre-made blanks or using color printers, be sure to have lots of color in the bulletin. There is really no need in using plain black and white unless that is all you can use. Color really helps things so use it!

Tip #4 – Every Church Bulletin Should Be Updated With New “Stuff” From Time To Time

Every now and then it is entirely appropriate to have new “stuff”. You might want to have a recipe added, or a member of the month. The point is to mix it up a little. “Variety is the spice of life” or so they say. Keep the bulletin fresh and exciting. New formatting or seasonal flair is always a good idea.

Tip #5 – Every Church Bulletin Should Have Inserts

It is my opinion that inserts add a third dimension to the typical bulletin. When I have received bulletins that had inserts, I always felt like there was a lot going on. They are an easy way to include last minute items that missed the initial weekly deadline. They are best used as advertisements for revivals, wedding or new baby announcements, but also as ministry promotions. I have used an insert as my Radio Ministry Promo. I placed the listen times, and station call letters right on the insert. Really… the sky is the limit!

Conclusion…

The bottom line is that a good, people oriented ministry will take advantage of church bulletins. Like all other tools, it can be drab and lethargic. It doesn’t have to be that way, so don’t let it! Using a church bulletin can add so much to your people’s perception of your leadership as pastor. By all means take advantage of it! Put you heart and soul in producing a good church bulletin and people will take notice.

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